Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT. Duh. So you can't sue me. I'm just borrowing them for a bit. But all the original creations in this are mine, so if you want to use them, please just ask. Thank you. :P

Chapter 4: Being a brother

A/N: Yippee! Another chapter up and done. Again, greatly sorry for the delay. Everyday life seems to have taken a toll on me and I have had less time to work on my fics than I would like. But I won't let that keep me down and in the meantime, thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far and I hope that you all enjoy. :P

When Splinter had left, the group had milled about for a moment. They knew what had to be done and how much time that they had, but it was normal for them to wait a moment before starting something. After all, Splinter did leave them alone only a few times a week and it was best to enjoy a moment while it was available, regardless of the present mood.

So they remained there in silence for a brief moment, just enjoying the quiet of the lair for once. No one looked at another, just sensing that there were others around by the general presence that each one felt. It was a small comfort in itself, though no one openly acknowledged this feeling.

After a few moments though, they each realized that they had to start at some point. Splinter would only be gone for so long and he would be upset that their chores were finished by then. If that happened, it was an easy guess what he might say and everyone knew that now would not be a good time to get their Sensei upset any further.

The first to react was surprisingly Raphael. He glanced once at his sister and brothers, who were still milling about, and decided to go on and get everything over with. So in an instant, he considered his options. Either he could go clean up the weapons in the dojo from practice or go clean dishes and wipe down the counters in the kitchen. Well, that was an easy answer.

As far as Raphael was concerned, since the kitchen was closer than the dojo, it was only logical that he head there instead of making the trip down the hallway. Then, in a lazy sort of way, he wouldn't have to expand too much energy. So without a word to the others, he turned and went back into the previous room. In there, he could see the pile of dishes that had been leftover from breakfast and some from last night's dinner.

There were several plates at least, most of which were stacked on the kitchen counter by the sink. The remaining few were already in the sink itself, along with cups and forks that were just waiting for a good scrubbing. All were covered in some type of film, either from crumbs or juice.

Muttering to himself, Raphael went about starting the job ahead. He began as anyone doing dishes did; he filled the sink with water from the faucet and added soap from the meager supply that the family had. This entire process was so practice for the young boy that it only took him a moment to complete. Once he had, he grabbed a rag and started in washing a plate.

"Making a mess already, Raphael?" a voice asked icily from behind.

Stopping in midswipe, Raphael gritted his teeth and clenched the rag in his hand. While he had begun his work, the others had finally come to the same realization as he had. Maybe with the same plan as him or possibly noticing his absence, the rest had also entered the kitchen.

Leonardo, true to his older brother's nature, had started in on his sibling as soon as he entered the room. Just like Raphael, his inner mood was not in the best of conditions. If anything, it was just as frayed and on edge as the other. Which was enough that Leo was feeling like being snide for a change.

"Just leave me alone, Leo. I don't need you to tell me how to do this," Raphael snapped through gritted teeth," I've washed enough dishes, you know."

"Doesn't look like it to me. You're just making a bigger mess than before," Leo retorted.

When he spoke, it was with a certain, smug look in his eye that Leo seemed to get whenever he was correcting one of his siblings about something. It was one of the times when he was acting like the 'perfect' son and student. As the oldest, he felt it was not only his duty to protect the others, but to be their role model when Splinter wasn't around. After all, someone had to do it. There was no telling what kind of trouble his sister and brothers might get into if he didn't at least try.

It was also something that drove his siblings up the wall. Each and every one of them had gotten fed up with Leo being so smug and uptight about things. They each dealt with it in different ways. Don by usually ignoring Leo altogether, Mike by making a joke of things and Maggie simply by hissing and jumping up to some high place.

On Raphael's part, he didn't just dislike Leo's occasional smug attitude. He outright hated it. To him, it was like Leo was trying to degrade him intentionally and make him feel small about himself. He couldn't stand that and let Leo know whenever he tried to pull that kind of attitude. That always led to some sort of argument between Leo and Raph, with one or the other getting hurt in some fashion.

Which was how Raphael was feeling right about now. More than anything, he wanted to just smash his fist into Leo's jaw then and there. What little patience he had had been pushed well beyond its limit and his frustration was coming to a greater boiling point than usual. And what better target to take his frustrations out than on the one that had helped to bring them out to begin with and was speaking to him like he was incapable of doing anything.

So he turned around, glaring fiercely at Leo. Not surprisingly, Leonardo was actually prepared for this sort of reaction. He had seen it many times before when he had goaded his brother in one form or another. And this time would be no different, as Raphael's gaze squared off with his brother's in what could again become a battle of wills.

It was a challenge that both was more than willing to accept and would do so in a heartbeat. So Raphael left what he was doing completely and made as if to tackled Leo. The other proved to be ready of course, already bracing himself for the blow that was never even to come.

With a hard grunt and surprising speed, Donatello beat both his brothers to the punch. Just as they were about to go head to head, he managed to force his way between them. In the space that was now opened, he drove his own body between as a barrier for the others. By doing this, his brothers had no choice but to back further apart on their own and stare at their younger sibling in surprise.

"Stop it right now, you guys, or I'll tell Splinter what you were doing the minute he gets back," Donnie warned.

Those words struck an almost instant chord. It took a few seconds to register in their minds, but Leo and Raph eventually comprehended what their brother had just said. He was threatening them with the one force in their lives that they feared and respected more than each other: Splinter.

This was the person who controlled the boundaries and extent of their young lives for now. Splinter was the one that guided and provided for everyone. He was the one that kept everything in their lives was kept in balance and made sure that no harm came to anyone of them. Which was enough that any threat to tell him of a crime was to be taken with the utmost seriousness.

"You wouldn't dare," Leonardo hissed.

"Try me," his brother said warningly.

Both Raphael and Leonardo feel silent after hearing these words. They glanced from one another to Donnie and then back to each other, repeating the process at least twice. Neither one of them quite knew what to make of what was happening or how they should exactly react.

This was the first time that either one of them had ever seen Donnie act so upset or stern about something. Usually, he was the quiet one that simply pointed out the logic in something to win an argument or let someone rant themselves out before he said anything. When he was angry, his voice was always so calm and he spoke right to the point, nothing more and nothing less than that.

As for him telling, that wasn't too much of a change. No child, including the supposedly perfect Leonardo, was above tattling on its siblings at some point and time. Though in Leo's case, he might have been more prone to act this way, considering that he felt that everyone should follow the rules and accept what came to them if they broke any, including himself. Donnie himself had said something before to Splinter when his brothers or sister had acted in a manner he thought too irresponsible, so maybe now would be no exception.

"When you turn into such a tattletale, Donnie?" Raphael demanded, finally finding his tongue again.

"I'm not," Don answered," But I won't just stand by and let you guys get all of us in trouble just because you're still mad at each other over that statue."

He glared at both his older brothers as he spoke with conviction and defiance in every word. It was true; he didn't want anyone else to get into trouble about this. In his mind, things were just starting to get too out of hand and his brothers were just acting like the same boneheads they always were when they argued.

More so really, since now there was a real driving force urging them on this time. Usually, they just argued over little things, like who was better at sparring or who should clean up one side of the bedroom. Sometimes it escalated beyond that, which Donnie could accept. But only to an extent and now would not be one of those times.

He remembered last night, when Raphael had snapped at him, and how things had gone this morning with practice. There had been a tension in the air that covered everything around them and that just about anyone could sense. Personally, Donnie had had just about enough of it all. So if needed, he would take charge of this whole mess and see that things were put back to normal again.

"This is what we're gonna do. Maggie's staying in here to help Raph with the dishes and the rest of us are gonna go clean up the dojo," Donatello said firmly," Now come on, we got work to do."

Still keeping between his two brothers, Don motioned to Mikey, who had been watching near the kitchen table and holding his tongue during the entire exchange. He was startled when his brother looked toward him, and at first, he wasn't sure what he should do. Then when he saw Donatello jerk his head toward the door, the message became clear enough.

Donnie wanted Michaelangelo's help in getting Leo out of the room before anything else happened. Inwardly, he wasn't so sure that he wanted to be part of that. He had gotten into enough trouble yesterday with Splinter and he didn't want to get involved in something that might cause more.

But he also knew that if he didn't do something, Leo and Raph might go at each other again, despite Don's threat to tell Splinter. So Mikey knew that whether he liked it or not, he had to help out. Sighing to himself, he left his post and made to walk out the door, taking his oldest sibling's arm as he went by.

"Come on, Leo. Let's go," Mike said, trying to tug his brother after him.

For a moment, a startled and frustrated Leonardo resisted Mikey's actions. When Splinter wasn't around, he was used being the one taking charge. It was hard for him to swallow having to take orders from his generally quiet little brother, so part of him readily wanted to resist what was happening.

But this time, he wouldn't be given much of a choice or a chance to lodge a further protest. With Mikey tugging on his arm and Don standing by, looking ready to push him to the dojo personally, the only option left to him was to go ahead and do as he was told. So with a final glare over his shoulder at Raphael, who returned it in full, Leo allowed himself to be escorted away by Mikey and Don.

Even with his brothers gone, Raphael still felt like hitting something to vent the anger that was still welling up inside of him. It had to be something that he could use full force on, be in ready range, and breakable if possible. If it was something another cared about, he might worry later, but not now.

Deep within his mounting rage, a small voice of reason and minor sanity still clung within the boy. It went mostly unheard this morning, being mostly buried in the groans of a sleepy and then later sore body that endured the grueling regiment that had occurred as punishment and then under the insults that Raphael's mind was screaming at Leo for being so bossy. Now that his mind only wanted to hit something, that little voice had a chance to grow.

It wasn't much though. Just enough where that voice could have a chance to insert a bit of sense into the rest of Raphael's mind. He was reminded of what had happened the last time he had broken something, such a short time ago. That had brought trouble that he hadn't wanted and ended up being the cause of what he felt now.

If he hit something else and it broke like the statuette, he was bound to be in more trouble than ever. Only this time, he would not be sharing the consequences with anyone else. This time, he would be alone in the road he walked and he should remember that while he ranted to himself.

That part of him even considered this was a surprise in itself. Raphael wasn't exactly known for his rationality when he was upset, as it was usually buried deep under the animosity that always seemed to be mounting in him. This almost always landed him in trouble and he rarely learned to do otherwise later on.

So when the occasions came that Raph kept part of his unconscious mind with a sense of calm, it was a true sight indeed. But not as much so as when he actually felt compelled to follow that impulse. If he did that, it was almost as if Raphael was going against his general nature in some way.

This would prove to be one of those rare and far between instants when Raphael would follow his less violent instincts. He was still angry, but he was trying to rein in his temper nonetheless. Not an easy task, considering the type of person that he was; though he would still try.

While he struggled to regain composure, he was being watched by his younger sister from her hiding spot. Maggie had come in with the rest, but had immediately broken away from the group once everyone had entered. During everything that had happened after that, she had continued to watch from the relative safety offered by the kitchen counter. From that spot, she could easily reach the higher counter by climbing and so get out of the way of danger. It was an escape route that she had used many times before in the past when her brothers fought and one she was willing to use again if necessary.

When she realized that Donnie had the situation under control though, she had relaxed a bit. She instinctively knew that Donatello, the calm and rational one in any predicament, would find some reason to stop this. He almost always knew some way to find a reasonable method out of a problem, so he must know a way to bring their erring brothers into sanity again.

In a way, that was exactly what he did. Though Maggie could still sense the animosity running deep in her two eldest brothers, she knew that Donnie's threat would keep them restrained for now. So for the most part, she managed to hold her peace when Don said that she would be the one staying behind to help Raph in the kitchen while the others were in the dojo.

That didn't mean that she was entirely all right the decision. Raphael's temper might still get the better of him and he was known for sometimes taking it out on the nearest thing to him. Not really the best thing to experience as far as Maggie was concerned.

So part of her was still on guard while she waited for Raphael to at least gain a semblance of composure. It took him a few moments of struggle, but she was willing to be patient. When he finally did, the expression on his face was still angered and his body was tense, but Raphael had managed to rein it all in to an extent.

"Go on. Get out of the way, furball," Raphael grumbled, making as if to shove his sister aside when he finally got a hold of things and tried to get back to his work.

This time, despite being on guard, Maggie was still surprised her brother's actions. So it was lucky for her that she still proved to be the quicker of the two. Before he could touch her, she had hastily backed away from Raphael and her post by the counter, falling back against the wall nearest to them instead to brace herself. Her fur bristled, both ears laid back in fright as she did so, her eyes going large as she stared up at him and hissed lightly in fright.

Raphael stopped in midstep and watched his younger sister with his own surprised expression. He hadn't been expecting her to do anything at all, so he wasn't totally prepared for her actions, especially when she hissed at him. The only time she did that was when she was upset over something or giving warning of some type.

This time it seemed a bit like a mixture of the two in Raphael's mind. It was partially given out of fear and another part as a warning to her brother to keep his distance. A meaning that he managed to understand for a change and so kept back from her.

Ah man, not this again, Maggie, Raphael groaned inwardly, I do not need you to get like this right now.

He would have said this or something similar to her if he hadn't been anxious about what might happen afterward. For all he knew, Maggie might try and bolt for the door. If she did, then it was for certain that she would attract the attention of their brothers. Not the sort of thing that Raphael needed or wanted right now.

So that meant that he would have to solve this one on his own and that was going to be a real test of his patience. Raphael had never been very good at keeping himself calm at times like this, especially when he was in a bad mood and only wanted everyone to leave him alone. Unfortunately, that really wasn't an option right now and he knew it. Which meant that he was just going to have to deal with this, even if it meant having to be a little mushy in front of his little sister.

For the most part, only the withdrawn, moody side of Raphael's personality ever had a chance to show through to the outside world. It was what gave him the reputation of being the tough guy in the family, the one that no one wanted to mess with. It was also the only way that he managed to hide the pain that he felt daily and that no one was else, with the exception of Splinter and possibly Mike, had any knowledge of.

But there was also another side to this boy, one that was not often shown to the rest of the world. This was the side that held the more compassionate part of Raphael; the one that allowed him to show the love he held for his family and to enjoy life in general. But it was the part that was mostly hidden under the layers that he had built over the years and for what he considered a good reason.

In Raphael's mind, if he showed too much emotion for certain things, then it would only make him weak in the eyes of his family. That was just something that he could neither face nor accept. If they saw him as weak, then he was worthless to Splinter, Maggie, and his brothers. So he always put on the act, keeping only the anger and roughness in plain sight.

A time did come however, when even Raphael's barriers would break down and something would seep through. It usually happened in those private moments he shared with Splinter or maybe a close sibling and was unable to control how he felt about a circumstance. Then, everything that had been dammed up inside of him would come out in either a great flood or a trickle that would last for hours on end.

When he was with Splinter, Raphael felt no shame in allowing himself to open up. After all, his Sensei wouldn't tease him about his feelings; he was the one that often tried to encourage Raphael to share more of himself. He was the one that accepted his son for all that he was and would someday become. So it didn't matter what he said to Splinter when they were in private. Raphael knew that he would understand.

Opening up to a sibling however, was a far different story. With Maggie or one of his brothers, Raphael could never be sure of their reaction to his softer side. If it were Leo or Don, especially Leo, he knew that either one of them might tease him or just get confused with what was happening. Neither one ever really expected him to be anything but his supposedly usual, arrogant, and snobby self.

If it were Mike, there was almost the same level of comfort that Raphael felt with Splinter. Like their father, he knew that his youngest brother wouldn't judge him for what was being seen. Mike would look deeper and try to give the understanding that one might need during those times when one was feeling depressed or alone. So it was okay to be honest with him about personal things.

In the case of Magnolia however, there was always a thin line between what to expect and what was happening that Raphael always was attempting to figure out. More so than Mike and nearly as much as Splinter, his sister had a way of sensing another's mood that was almost uncanny. No one was ever really sure how she did it, but when she did, her reactions varied from occasion to occasion.

Sometimes if someone was in defensive mood, then she would find some way to keep her distance until it passed. Usually by hiding herself away in some corner or in a high place that only she could reach. If they were feeling sad, then maybe she might offer comfort or perhaps she would again act as if to avoid a person. It might have seemed like she was being insensitive, but in reality, Maggie was only acting in accordance with the mood of those she was around.

There were just times when someone wanted to be left alone to their own thoughts and unlike most others, Maggie was willing to grant this wish. So when she sensed it, she was long gone and out of sight. Most of which Raphael only had a general idea of and had been aware of ever since Maggie's personality had shown through years before.

Now however, that really didn't hold ground. Seeing his sister cowering there in front of him, mistrust written deeply into her eyes, Raphael knew that he had no choice in the matter this time. Now was not one of those times when he should lock his emotions away and play the part of the tough guy. Now was when he had to let down his guard and allow himself to feel remorse and understanding for a victim of his actions.

Grumbling under his breath, Raphael kneeled down so that he was at his sister's level. She continued to watch him from her seat on the floor, her eyes flickering in time with his every move. It was obvious even to her brother that she was uncertain of his intentions and that she wasn't about to trust him right away. Still, he knew that he had to try and get through to her somehow.

"Come on, don't cry like that. I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean anything, Maggie. So come on, okay?" Raphael asked, holding out a hand to her.

For a moment longer, his sister hesitated in her reaction to his words. She remained where she was, looking up at him with teary and frightened eyes. It was enough to make Raph's heart bleed inside and definitely make him regret what he had just said to her.

As frustrated as he was, the last thing that Raphael had intended to do was upset his younger sister. After all, according to the rational part of his mind, she hadn't done anything to him. All she had been doing was trying to help him to calm down and feel better about himself. There was nothing wrong with that. If anything, it was what made her the better of the two of them at the moment.

Just great, smart guy, Raphael scolded himself, Now she's scared of you all over again and if Leo sees her like this, he'll tattle to Master Splinter for sure. Then I'll really be in trouble.

He watched Magnolia a moment longer, giving her a chance to act on her own before he did anything further. It was a good guess that if he tried to rush her, then she could easily get more upset than she already was and complicate things even more. That was the last thing that he wanted right now, so he was willing to exercise a little more patience even though most of his own had been spent.

After another moment or so, much to Raphael's relief, Maggie did seem to calm down a bit. Her fur, which had begun to bristle slightly, had started to smooth out again and her ears seemed to follow suit. These slowly rose again, flicking every now and then to give the indication that the mood was easing.

He immediately took this as a good sign and decided to take a chance. Moving slowly, Raphael stretched out his hand a bit more toward Maggie. It was his hope that she would take it and allow him to help her up. Well, Raphael would get a bit more of a surprise than that.

Magnolia completely ignored the outstretched hand and instead she jumped to her feet on her own. She threw her arms around his neck as soon as she was on her feet, burying her head into his shoulder. Raphael was a bit startled that she had acted so suddenly and for a brief second, didn't act. But then, sure that no one else would see him, he returned the embrace and wrapped his arms around his sister.

In a way, Raphael though it felt nice to be like this. There was no judgement, no accusations involved. All that mattered was just giving comfort to someone else when they needed it, which helped a great deal in getting his mind off his other troubles for a little while.

When Maggie finally pulled away from him, Raphael asked," You okay now, kid?"

Yes, Magnolia nodded as she wiped away the last of her tears.

Raphael watched his sister for a moment, as if to assure himself that she was indeed all right. It wasn't really necessary, he knew. It wasn't as if she had really been hurt by backing against the wall and he hadn't laid a hand on her. Still, some unconscious part of him felt an instinct to be sure that Maggie was all right and it was something that he really didn't ignore.

There was another side that wouldn't be ignored any less either. Now that he was sure that Maggie had calmed down, Raphael was worried about she might say to Splinter. It wasn't certain that their father would ask exactly what had happened in his absence, but that was no guarantee that Maggie wouldn't tell. She could be naïvely frank sometimes and it often meant trouble for someone other than her.

For a moment, Raphael suddenly felt a little bit shy around his sister. He had to ask whether or not she was going to tell anyone. It was silly, but he felt extremely hesitant about it. Maybe, she wouldn't say anything at all if she wasn't pressed. But then again, she might, just to say something.

"You're not gonna tell Master Splinter about this, are ya?" Raphael asked with final uncertainty.

No, I won't tattle on you, Raphael, Maggie immediately promised, I don't want you to get into more trouble. Just please don't be mad at me anymore.

Watching her say this actually surprised Raphael to an extent and made him feel somewhat better. So maybe he wasn't totally alone after all. There was someone around that wasn't mad at him or afraid to say anything to him. It was a nice feeling to have and one that he was in no hurry to lose.

Ruffling his sister's hair, Raphael nodded," Don't worry, I'm not mad at you, Maggie. I never was. I'm just in a bad mood 'cause of what happened yesterday with Leo and that stupid statue, so I just snapped at the nearest thing."

It was strange for him to be so open with someone, but right now, Raphael really didn't care much. After all, Donnie and Mikey would probably keep Leo busy for awhile, so there was little chance of one of them coming in to check on the pair. Plus, it wasn't like Maggie was going to complain about him being that way. So maybe it was all right to just relax his guard for a bit and leave it at that.

Struck with sudden inspiration, Raphael promised, "Let's go on and get this stuff done before the guys come back in here to see what's taking us so long. Then I'll help you with some of your reading lessons after I'm done in my room. Okay?"

With a surprised gleam in her eyes, Maggie nodded eagerly. It was strange to her that he had offered to help her with that sort of thing. Schoolwork wasn't among Raphael's most favorite things to do and she knew it. If anything, he considered it to be one of the most boring things that he could endure, next listening to Leo drone on about following the rules all the time.

So the fact that he was offering to help her out, when it was usually Don or Master Splinter that did so, was nothing short of a miracle to Magnolia. Still, it wasn't one that she was about to question. If Raph was willing to be honest for a change and do something nice for her, then she was willing to accept it.

Privately, Raphael thought that this chance might also be a way for him to secretly make it up to Maggie for yelling at her earlier. He knew that she had accepted his apology and would say nothing else of the matter, but he still felt it necessary to make some sort of atonement. This seemed to be a pretty good course of action and might not be too hard for him to complete.

The only problem that Raphael could think of with his plans was Splinter. He knew that there was always the chance that the Sensei might object to Raph helping his sister and say that he needed to attend to his own studies, since his grades were among the best. Then again, maybe that might not be the outcome of things. Perhaps Splinter would agree to allowing Raphael to keep his promise to Maggie, since it meant that the boy would be keeping out of trouble and doing something good in the meantime.

As he began to turn his attention to washing the dishes while Maggie dried, Raphael soon found that he had no time to worry about such things to begin with. While he made sure that the plates and forks were completely free of food scraps, he also had to be sure that Maggie was careful while she dried what he had cleaned. If he didn't keep an eye on her at least part of the time, there was a good chance that his sister was bound to drop something.

She had been known to do that from time to time, the remnants of soap making the kitchenware too slippery to be handled. When that happened, either someone noticed in time and caught the dish or it smashed on the floor. Usually it was the latter and when that happened, Splinter was bound to admonish the child and remind her to be more careful from then on.

Kitchenware of any type was hard to come by when one lived in the sewers and so everything found was precious. Which was why Splinter always scolded when something was broken, though he was never cruel when he did so. Thankfully, it had been quite awhile since Maggie had last dropped anything and there wasn't anything to worry about for now. Even so, Raphael still kept his eye on her every now and then when he handed anything over, just in case.

While they worked, Raphael felt a change coming over himself. The work itself was so consuming in concentration, that the frustration and guilt that had been building in him had begun to slip away. It wasn't gone completely of course; some portion remained at the core and would be so for the time being. But enough bitterness was gone that Raphael was feeling a bit calmer than he had for the last two days and actually felt as if he could relax for a time.

After she finished drying another plate and placing it on the counter, Maggie glanced up at her brother as she silently sensed his change in mood. She was glad that he was feeling better about himself now. Though she didn't reveal anything about her own feelings to anyone but Don and Splinter, Maggie had been worried about her brothers since this had begun.

She knew that breaking of the statuette had been a major blow to Sensei's trust in her brothers. He had expected them to be more careful around the more fragile items of the household. For the most part, the boys had been able to keep that trust. Until the altercation between Raph and Leo, which resulted in what was happening now and as well that broken trust having to be rebuilt. It would more than likely be some time before his sons regained Splinter's complete trust and that would not be an easy task to accomplish.

Magnolia understood this fact and it was one reason why she had become so worried for her older siblings. As they often felt for her, she hated to see them struggling in anything. It was hard for her to know what was happening to them and not readily be able to help. That just felt wrong to her somehow. In her mind, family had to be able to help one another no matter what was happening.

So she was glad in the change of mood that had suddenly overtaken Raphael. In her eyes, it was quite the contrast from when he had snapped at her and tried to push her. She was used to him acting rudely, but this time, because of what she had seen and sensed in him beforehand, she had really been afraid that her brother really meant to hurt her for real this time.

So she had reacted by instinct and had fallen away from Raphael as quickly as she could. From where she sat, Maggie's mind had already begun to calculate just what she might have to do. Part of her knew that she might have to fight in order to protect herself, but another side wanted to prevent this.

The last thing wanted to do was to hurt Raphael. He was her brother, her friend, and you weren't supposed to hurt someone that close to you. If you did, then you were acting just as bad as the ones that Master Splinter called heartless cowards.

People like those caused harm to others without cause or reason. They did it for the sheer joy of causing pain or simply because someone else had treated them badly. Maggie didn't want to be either of these, so she tried to keep desperate control of the emotions vying within her.

Thankfully, Raphael had solved that problem for her by reacting first. After realizing what was happening, he had managed to calm himself down and was then trying to assure his sister that he meant her no harm. At first, Maggie had been uncertain of just what she should do and remained slightly on edge.

When she realized that he was being sincere, Maggie began to relax. She saw that he wasn't going to hurt her and that everything would be all right. Once calm had reached sufficient levels within her, Maggie then leapt at her brother, throwing her arms around his neck and embracing him.

From there, they had managed to start talking and things started to get a little bit better. Raphael was still upset, that much she could sense, but not so much as before and he wasn't being mean. That was all that Maggie really needed to keep her happy for the moment, even if she were worried about what else might happen to her brother today. So she continued to watch him as they worked, just to be on the safe side.

"What is it?" Raph asked suddenly, glancing at his sister out of the corner of his eye.

When she realized that he had noticed her, Maggie automatically hesitated. She hadn't meant for him to see the way she was acting. Her curiosity was peaked, that was true, but not to the point that she was about to come right out and ask Raphael about anything. That might just get him angry with her again, which was not something that she ever wanted, regardless of what was going on.

"I know you want something, kid. You're looking at me like you do," Raph said," So go on and spill. What's wrong now?"

Gulping once, Maggie shook her head fiercely as if to deny what her brother was saying. In response, Raphael stopped what he was doing and gave his sister the 'you-can't-fool-me' look. It was kinda similar to the one that Splinter gave when he wanted to know something but still with Raph's own special touch that made it unique.

"Come on, Maggie. Spill," Raphael ordered.

What did Master Splinter say to you, Leo, and Mikey yesterday? Maggie asked finally.

Raphael usually reaction with anyone else might have been to snort, mutter something, and then tell the person to just mind their own business. But again, since this was Maggie and not someone else, that really didn't seem like an option. He would either have to answer the question with a straight answer or find some other excuse not to.

You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Maggie replied quickly.

Raphael looked away from his sister for a moment and stared down at the dirty dishes still in the sink. From looking into her fawn colored eyes an instant before, he could easily tell that she was curious to know exactly what had happened yesterday afternoon. But it surprised him that she wasn't pressing him for details. He knew that he would be if he were in her position.

But you're not her, Raphael thought to himself, Maggie can be a pain sometimes, but at least she's a lot nicer to everyone else than you are on even your best days. No one ever gets mad at her for snapping at them.

Raphael took a few seconds to consider what his sister had said and what his own response should be. Part of him felt it better just to take her offer and keep things to himself. Then they could just get on with their work and finish everything before Splinter returned. Maybe then there might be a little respite for him and he could spend some time sorting out his thoughts.

On the other hand, another side of him argued that he should say something to his sister. There really wasn't any harm in telling Maggie. He knew her well enough that he knew that she wouldn't make a big deal out of this like some people might. Magnolia was only curious to know what was happening. Still, it was a debate that his mind caught sorely caught between and wouldn't resolve very quickly.

Then he remembered that something Master Splinter had once told him, many years ago when he had been smaller than Maggie, who was then no more than a baby. It had been after Donatello had made him mad and then he had tried to get a child's version of revenge on his brother by stuffing his favorite teddy bear in the toilet. It would supposedly teach Donatello that Raphael was not to be messed with and that he should watch his step.

Thankfully, Splinter had come along before Raphael managed to flush the bear into the plumbing. He rescued the toy and promised a then very distraught Donnie that it would be washed and returned within a few days. Before doing so, he had taken Raphael aside and had a good, long talk with the child about respecting other people's property and learning to talk things out rather than cause more trouble.

If you wish for things to go well for you, then you must be willing to act with others and sort through a problem. Telling someone how you feel after they have hurt you allows them to see the error of their ways and then you both may work together to set things right, Raphael heard Splinter's voice ringing in his mind.

It was a lesson that Splinter had often told his children and one that he hoped would allow them to better interact with each other. Despite having been told this as a little one, it was also advice that Raphael often ignored and generally went the exact opposite of. He kept most of his feelings locked away, leaving him with only annoyance, anger, and frustration to work with.

But again, since he was alone with a sister who was completely receptive to hearing his side of things, Raphael's mood had shifted from the norm. What he usually felt had been pushed to the side and other emotions were now making their way to the surface. Emotions that he usually felt hard- pressed to work with but that were totally in agreement with him for once.

So he began to form the words, allowing them to settle in his mind before he said them out loud. This was a careful process, since Raphael had to sort through what had been said and done beforehand. He wanted this to come out just right and not as some sort of jumble.

"Sensei said that we have to learn how to respect each other more and to learn how to be more patient when we're waiting for something. If we don't, we could end up hurting more than just ourselves," he shrugged, his mind briefly drifting into memories of the day before.

Deep within himself, he could still feel the piercing gaze of Splinter's stern eye and the chills of apprehension that had surged through him. The words themselves that were spoken had an edge on them, conveying the disappointment, outrage, and anger that came from within the rat's mind. That edge had cut into Raphael's own heart and that of his brothers, reminding him of what should have been done instead of what had occurred.

It hurt to remember that experience and for a brief second, Raphael allowed himself to feel some self-pity. He hated the fact that he had so greatly disappointed is father and wished more than anything that he could undo it all. But he knew that that was impossible.

Raphael would have to live with what he had done, just as his brothers and Splinter would have to. But that wouldn't stop the words of his Sensei from haunting as they did or erase the shame that he felt. It was just something else to chock up to the listing of regrets and causes of anger that Raphael kept hidden within himself, whether he wanted to or not.

A sudden warmth covered one side of Raphael and jostled him from his private thoughts. Coming back to reality, he looked over to see what the cause was. To his surprise, he found that while he had been talking, his sister had nestled up against him and was attempting to show what silent comfort and sympathy that she could offer.

Though honestly touched by her gesture, Raphael said quickly," Hey, come on. You don't need to get all mushy on me now, Maggie."

He refrained from brushing her aside for once, despite how it would have emphasized his words. That would only upset her again and that was not what either of them needed right now. Better to just let her move away on her own so that she would remain calm.

Her fawn colored eyes dancing with mischief and apology, Maggie backed away from her brother after another moment. She looked up at Raphael with one of her smiles and then went off to get another dish. Raphael watched her go and only shook his head, inwardly glad that things were going well for at least a little bit.

"Just don't go spreading any of what I just told you to Donnie if he asks ya, okay? Bad enough that I'm telling you, but I don't want him or Leo bugging me about this," Raphael replied.

Taking another dish to him to be washed, Maggie signed, I won't tell him anything, Raphael. I promise. But why would Leo bug you about telling? He already knows what happened.

Raphael nodded with satisfaction as he took the plate from his sister and dipped it into the sink water. He knew that Maggie would keep her word to him. Once she made one, she would never break a promise to anyone. It was something that she took very seriously and refused to go back on, regardless of the consequences that might follow.

Still, when he watched her ask that last question, it surprised him how naïve she could act sometimes. Maggie knew that he and Leo never got along most of the time and that there was always something about each other that irritated the other. So it was strange to him that he had to explain what he was about to say to her.

She's just a kid, remember? Maggie's still too little to know about having someone like Leo on your case, Raphael admonished himself, He doesn't argue with her like he does with me. Master Splinter would cream him for sure if he tried that.

That was perhaps one of the few things that he envied about his sister. As the youngest, he knew that there were many things in this world that Maggie still had at least a partial immunity to. There were certain things that Splinter allowed her to get away with that her brothers might be scolded and punished for.

Another thing was that her brothers had to treat Magnolia a bit different than they treated one another. For one thing, they couldn't roughhouse as much with their sister as they did together. She could easily be hurt by some of the moves the boys used, whether in play or in a sparring match in the dojo.

Treatment was not only limited to games however. More so, Splinter had taught his sons not to be cruel to their sister under any circumstances. It was not her fault that she was younger than they were and did not understand what they knew. In time, she would gain the same knowledge that they had and not beforehand. So until which time, they had to watch what they said to her.

Raphael knew this and saw this as the reason that Maggie couldn't understand what he meant. If Leo ever tried to yell at her like he often did with Raphael; he would be in trouble in a heartbeat. It was a consolation that Raph found a little joy in, but not too much, considering that he didn't want Maggie getting caught in between him and Leo. That was something even he couldn't abide with and so tried to steer clear of it as much as possible.

"Leo would bug me because I told, Maggie," Raph explained," He'd be ticked at me for telling you something that he thought you shouldn't know about. That's why I don't want you to blab to Donnie about this, 'cause then Leo's gonna know what I did. And I don't need him bothering me more than he does."

Maggie was motionless while her brother spoke. She listened with a quiet intensity that matched the movement of her eyes and ears. Her ears craned forward to catch the sound of his voice and words, her eyes watching his every motion.

It was obvious to Raphael that she understood every word that he was speaking. She may have been young and sometimes needed things explained to her, but Maggie wasn't stupid. To call her that would be foolish in itself, considering that Maggie had brains enough to back that claim and that anyone who did try that would most likely find claw marks on themselves.

That was something that Raphael had learned the hard way when he made the mistake of calling his sister a 'clumsy, furbrained dummy.' It had been about a year before during the summer when they and their brothers were playing out in the sewers. They had begun a game of tag when Maggie accidentally tripped and fell into Raphael for the second time.

Frustrated with her clumsiness, Raphael started to yell at his sister. In his anger, he called her that name and said that he couldn't believe that his sister was such a pain. It wasn't the first time he had called her names and it wouldn't be the last. But if there was one thing that Maggie couldn't stand, it was being called names.

And this time, for a six-year old, what Raphael said was a bit too much for her to handle. While he continued to berate her, her claws came unsheathed and swiped across the nearest thing: Raph's leg. The action surprised not only Raphael and their brothers, but Maggie as well.

Normally, even when angered, she kept her claws sheathed and merely hissed at someone when she was upset. Only when extremely pressed or afraid did she allow her main weapons to come into play. But this time, she had acted on instinct and from that day on, there was a long scar on her brother's leg.

That action had earned Maggie both a scolding and a spanking from Splinter and it served as a reminder to her brothers to be careful just how much their sister could take. They still teased and taunted her from time to time, but only in jest or when they were too upset to notice.

Now though, teasing Maggie about anything was the furthest thing from Raphael's mind. The only thing that mattered now was making sure that his sister understood what he wanted and they got their work done before it got too late. Then they could move on from there to cleaning bedrooms and finishing their school lessons.

When Raph was done, Maggie replied, I won't tell anyone, Raph. I promise.

"Thanks sis," was all the reply that was needed.

A/N: Yes! Another piece of the puzzle is finally out and done with. Sorry that it took so long everyone, but I was taking a much needed break from this and catching up with my schoolwork. Hopefully, I can get the next chapter out in the next couple of months, but there's no real guarantee. Until then, thanks for reading. :)